Action-packed St Brigid’s weekend in Kilkenny

Kilkenny is the place to be for St Brigid’s bank holiday weekend with activities and events planned for all ages.

The Kilkenny Gospel Choir will perform at a very special St Brigid’s Service at St Fiacre’s Church in Loughboy on February 1 at 7.30pm. A relic of St Brigid will be at the service for blessing, with people of all ages encouraged to come along and attend the event.

Brigid is celebrated as a strong woman who opposed the authoritarian attitude of her time and fought for the rights of women and the poor especially those who were victims of abuse and hardship. She is remembered for her hospitality and hard work, as a woman of God and a woman of the people.

This years’ service will include holy water from the well of St. Brigid which will be available as well as red flannel associated with the healing ministry of St. Brigid. All are invited to bring their St. Brigid’s Crosses to be blessed.

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“People attend the service and take the water and red flannel home with them invoking the protection of St. Brigid. It is said that St. Brigid’s cloak was made of red flannel and when she spread her cloak over the sick, the worried or the anxious they were healed,’ said Fr Willie Purcell who will lead the service.

“At this difficult time in the lives of all people its important we are united in support of each other and what better way than to gather and pray for each other,” said Mary Kealy Kilkenny Gospel Choir PRO.

Meanwhile on the bank holiday Monday Cois Nore will hold their third annual 5K.

“We are thrilled to be able to hold this event. The Cois Nore 5K has been a great success for the past two years and we are looking forward to it being an even bigger success this year. We are especially excited about the route for our 5K, which will see the participants running or walking outside the walls of the park and down along Kilkenny’s beautiful Canal Walk.” said Sheila Murphy, Cois Nore Fundraising Coordinator.

The 5K registration fee for adults is €25 and €15 for under 16’s. Entry for the 1K is limited to primary school aged children with a registration fee of €10.

“We are very appreciative for the wonderful support we have received for the event. Tirlan, KCLR and Kilkenny City Harriers have continued their support of this year 5K. The support they have given has made the holding of this event possible.” Said Bill Cuddihy, Chairperson of Cois Nore.

To register go to coisnore.ie/5k and if you are one of the first 200 entrants you will receive a free Cartoon Saloon designed t-shirt.

The Cois Nore mission is to provide free confidential support and both professional and voluntary services to people of all ages affected by cancer and their families to enable them to live well with their diagnosis.

This year is also the first year of the St Brigid Music and Arts festival which boasts a stellar lineup of live music along with live theatre and activities including a free workshop on how to make a St Brigid’s Cross.

A festival highlight promises to be Paul Noonan of Bell X 1 who will perform at Set Theatre on February 4 and the critically acclaimed songwriter Niamh Regan who will play at Cleere’s on February 3.

stbrigidsfestival.ie